Peru is the leading economy of Latin America, with a GDP of $156 billion (in 2011) and an economic growth rate as high as 6 percent per year. SNU Office of International Affairs and the Ministry of Knowledge Economy joined forces to establish a center for industry-academia-research partnership that specializes in promoting investment in Peru.
Dean KIM Jun Ki of the SNU Office of International Affairs said,"It is my anticipation that from now on this center will serve as a bridge between Korea and Peru." He also commented,"This center will not only strengthen the economic ties between both countries but also promote SNU students' contribution to the global society through development & cooperation programs."
The Korea-Peru Economic Cooperation Center plans to provide corporations with information on fields such as trade or energy. Also, it will design projects to train professional human resources and foster a network for economic collaboration between the two countries.
CHOI Dae Won, head of the Korea-Peru Economic Cooperation Center, said,"This center was established to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Peru. In the future, human resources in various fields will be brought together to engage in research for economic development & cooperation projects, thereby constructing an Asia-Latin America economic collaboration system of the 21st century."
Peru’s interests lie in how this center will guide more Korean companies toward investing in its market. Eduardo Castaneda, the chargé d´affaires of the Embassy of Peru remarked,"Judging from the fact that the Korea-Peru Free Trade Agreement (FTA) took effect last year and the Peruvian president visited Korea this year, the relationship between the two countries has now become a comprehensive partnership. The establishment of this center is very meaningful to the economic collaboration between both countries."
Even before the establishment of this center, SNU was invested in forming a bridge between Korea and Latin American countries. The SNU Institute of Latin American Studies has been active since 2008, offering many courses and organizing symposia and cultural events such as film festivals. Earlier this year, the institute also established the Center for Brazilian Studies to concentrate on research specifically on Brazil. The addition of the Korea-Peru Economic Cooperation Center shows that now SNU’s academic interest in the region has stretched further to include Peru.
The center will get down to work immediately after the construction of the Global Community Relations Center building is completed in January of next year.
For more information on the Institute of Latin American Studies and the Center for Brazilian Studies, visit their homepages http://snuilas.snu.ac.kr and http://brazilcenter.or.kr).
Written by JANG Hyo Jeong, SNU English Editor, fatalbonds@snu.ac.kr
Reviewed by Eli Park Sorensen, SNU Professor of Liberal Studies, eps7257@snu.ac.kr
Proofread by Brett Johnson, SNU English Editor, morningcalm2@gmail.com